Ralph Empey
Richmond
AFL career
49 games29 goals
- Debut
- R18 1924 v CAR6 Sept 1924
- Most recent
- SF 1930 v COL27 Sept 1930
Stats
Bio
A product of Scotch College via the Hawthorn VFA side, Ralph Empey was a poised utility who featured predominantly as a rover and half-forward. Despite standing just 175cm, he was renowned for his cool head in a crisis and a deceptive ability to pull down a strong overhead mark against larger opponents. His VFL tenure was punctuated by his professional obligations as a schoolteacher, which saw him spend the 1926 and 1927 seasons playing in the country for Horsham before he returned to Punt Road to reclaim his spot in the senior side. Empey became a key fixture in the Tigers' strong lineup of the era, playing in back-to-back Grand Final defeats in 1928 and 1929, booting two goals in the former decider against Collingwood. While a premiership eluded him, he etched his name into football history in the opening round of 1930 when he became the first player ever substituted into a VFL match following the introduction of the "19th man" rule.
Profile
- Born
- 22 Sept 1904
- Died
- 28 Sept 1960 (aged 56y 6d)
- Birthplace
- Koondrook, VIC
- Deathplace
- Fitzroy, VIC
- Height
- 175 cm
- Weight
- 74 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionA product of Scotch College via the Hawthorn VFA side, Ralph Empey was a poised utility who featured predominantly as a rover and half-forward. Despite standing just 175cm, he was renowned for his cool head in a crisis and a deceptive ability to pull down a strong overhead mark against larger opponents. His VFL tenure was punctuated by his professional obligations as a schoolteacher, which saw him spend the 1926 and 1927 seasons playing in the country for Horsham before he returned to Punt Road to reclaim his spot in the senior side. Empey became a key fixture in the Tigers' strong lineup of the era, playing in back-to-back Grand Final defeats in 1928 and 1929, booting two goals in the former decider against Collingwood. While a premiership eluded him, he etched his name into football history in the opening round of 1930 when he became the first player ever substituted into a VFL match following the introduction of the "19th man" rule.